Search Results (10)

A stinger is the transient sensory and motor loss of one upper extremity caused by a stretch or compression injury to the brachial plexus or the exiting cervical nerve roots. Athletes from contact sports like American football, rugby, wrestling, and horseback riding are most affected. Given today’s competitive athletic culture and recent advancements in sports medicine, understanding the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of stingers is crucial. Thus, this narrative review highlights current knowledge of pathology, clinical features, diagnostic modalities, radiologic measurements, management, rehabilitation, and return-to-play protocols. Recent and prominent English publications on adult athletes revealed that the brachial plexus upper roots (C5 and C6) are most affected. Stingers accounted for 62.2% of neck injuries in National Football League athletes and affected up to 50.3% of football players. Grading is based on injury severity to the nerves. Most stingers are mild, lasting a few seconds to minutes. Return-to-play protocols remain controversial; however, stingers have promising prognoses and can mostly be resolved with conservative treatment and rehabilitation. Severe injuries require surgical intervention but rarely occur in athletics. In conclusion, many recent developments in the evaluation and treatment of stingers impact current treatment plans, return-to-play decisions, and the future of athletes. Full article

Although preliminary studies suggested sex-related differences in physiological responses to hypoxia, the effects of sex on sprint interval training (SIT) performance in different degrees of hypoxia are largely lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the acute effect of different doses of normobaric hypoxia on SIT performance as well as heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive performance (CP) in amateur-trained team sport players by comparing potential sex differences. In a randomized, double-blind, crossover design, 26 (13 females) amateur team-sport (football, basketball, handball, rugby) players completed acute SIT (6 × 15 s all-out sprints, separated with 2 min active recovery, against a load equivalent to 9% of body weight) on a cycle ergometer, in one of four conditions: (I) normoxia without a mask (F_iO₂: 20.9%) (CON); (II) normoxia with a mask (F_iO₂: 20.9%) (NOR); (III) moderate hypoxia (F_iO₂: 15.4%) with mask (MHYP); and (IV) high hypoxia (F_iO₂: 13.4%) with mask (HHYP). Peak (PPO) and mean power output (MPO), HRV, heart rate (HR), CP, capillary lactate (BLa), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) pre- and post-SIT were compared between CON, NOR, MHYP and HHYP. There were no significant differences found between trials for PPO (p = 0.55), MPO (p = 0.44), RPE (p = 0.39), HR (p = 0.49), HRV (p > 0.05) and CP (response accuracy: p = 0.92; reaction time: p = 0.24). The changes in MP, PP, RPE, HR, CP and HRV were similar between men and women (all p > 0.05). While BLa was similar (p = 0.10) between MHYP and HHYP trials, it was greater compared to CON (p = 0.01) and NOR (p = 0.01), without a sex-effect. In conclusion, compared to normoxia, hypoxia, and wearing a mask, have no effect on SIT acute responses (other than lactate), including PP, MP, RPE, CP, HR, and cardiac autonomic modulation either in men or women. Full article

Women’s participation in sports has recently grown worldwide, including in sports typically associated with men (e.g., rugby and football). Similarly, literature on female athletes has increased, but how they cope with premenstrual (PM) physical and affective symptoms remains a poorly studied topic. Our study aimed to explain which coping strategies elite female rugby and football players use during their PM period to maintain perceived physical ability (PPA) and well-being. A mediation model analysis considering coping strategies (i.e., avoiding harm, awareness and acceptance, adjusting energy, self-care, and communicating) as independent variables, PPA and well-being as dependent variables, and PM physical and affective symptoms and PM cognitive resources as mediators was run on the data collected via an anonymous online survey. A dysfunctional impact of avoiding harm (indirect) and adjusting energy (both direct and indirect) and a functional indirect influence of awareness and acceptance, self-care, and communicating as coping strategies were found on PPA and well-being during the PM period. As predicted, PM physical and affective symptoms as mediators reduced PPA and well-being, while PM cognitive resources enhanced them. These results may inform practitioners on how to support elite female athletes’ PPA and well-being by knowing and reinforcing the most functional PM coping strategies for them. Full article

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between self-assessment of physical fitness and health, and the motivational role of physical activity goals in people, depending on their sports discipline. The study included 470 men and 218 women, aged 18–45, from western and southern Poland. The respondents practiced sports recreationally (fitness—F), competitively (football—FB, martial arts—MA), and for rehabilitation and sports purposes (wheelchair rugby—R). The standardized questionnaire for the motivational role of physical activity goals (Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives, IPAO) by Lipowski and Zaleski and the authors’ questionnaire on lifestyle were used. In the statistical analyses, non-parametric statistics were used. Individuals with very high and high self-assessment of their physical fitness and very good self-assessment of health achieved higher scores on the motivational value scale, time management, motivational conflict and multidimensionality of physical activity goals (p < 0.05). Respondents who assessed their health as very good achieved lower results on the perseverance scale, compared to those who assessed their health as good or poor. Self-assessment of physical fitness had a positive, high and moderate correlation with the self-assessment of health in people practicing wheelchair rugby, fitness, football and martial arts (r = 0.61; r = 0.52; r = 0.41; r = 0.40, respectively). Correlations were found between the motivational role and time management in people practicing fitness (r = 0.81), football (r = 0.66) and martial arts (r = 0.45), and multidimensionality of goals in those practicing fitness (r = 0.65) and martial arts (r = 0.42) Wheelchair rugby players scored the highest on all KCAF scales (except for motivational conflict). Self-assessment of physical fitness of wheelchair rugby players and fitness practitioners was negatively correlated with time management (r = −0.68; r = −0.49), multidimensionality of goals (r = −0.51; r = −0.49) and motivational values (r = −0.43; r = −0.43). The demonstrated relationships indicated that there was a need to strengthen the self-esteem and motivation for physical activity, promoting perseverance, the ability to focus on the implementation of one’s goals and prioritizing the goals among people practicing various sports disciplines. Full article

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a phenomenon which can improve force performance executed after a previous conditioning activity. PAP is usually evoked through heavy resistance, but many new methods are being suggested that acutely improve performance in post-activation potentiation protocols. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of simultaneous application of Smith machine back squats (BS) with electromyostimulation (EMS) on sprint performance. Sixteen male (age = 22.9 ± 2.3 years, body mass = 79.9 ± 13.8 kg, BS one-repetition maximum (1 RM) = 120.5 ± 17.3) amateur football and rugby players volunteered for this study. Participants randomly performed PAP protocols (CON = no load, BS = 3 × 85% of 1 RM BS, EMS = 3 × weightless squat with electric current and BS + EMS = 3 × 85% 1 RM BS with electric current) on four different days with at least 48 h intervals. Participants rested passively for 7 min after preloads and performed the 30 m sprint test. Sprint times for 10 and 30 m were recorded for each condition. As a result, no significant difference was found in the 10 m (p = 0.13) and 30 m (p = 0.10) sprint performance between the preload protocols. The effect size was found to be trivial (ηp²: 0.13 for 10 m; ηp²: 0.11 for 30 m). In individual results, the 10 m sprint performance of five participants and 30 m sprint performance of two participants decreased in BS, EMS, or BS + EMS conditions compared with CON. No PAP effect in other participants was observed. In conclusion, preloads did not affect 10 m and 30 m sprint performance of football and rugby players. It can be said that the applied PAP protocols or physical exertion alone may cause fatigue in some individuals. Full article

Hepcidin-25 is suggested as a surrogate iron status marker in athletes who show exercise-induced anemia; however, the implications of hepcidin concentration in this population remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hepcidin and body fat levels in rugby football players. We included 40 male university rugby football players (RUG) and 40 non-athlete controls. All participants underwent an anthropometric analysis and blood testing that included both hepcidin-25 and ferritin levels. The hepcidin-25 level was slightly (11.6%, p = 0.50) higher, and the ferritin level was significantly (35.9%, p < 0.05) lower, in the RUG group than in controls. The hepcidin-25 to-ferritin ratio was significantly higher (62.5%, p < 0.05) in the RUG group. While significant U-shaped correlations were observed between the body fat and ferritin levels in both groups, the correlations between the hepcidin levels and fat mass index were significantly higher in the RUG group (RUG: r = 0.79, controls: r = 0.45). Notably, the RUG with the lower fat mass index group had a higher hepcidin-25 level, lower ferritin level, and then significantly higher hepcidin-25/ferritin ratio. The hepcidin-25/ferritin ratio may serve as a biomarker for iron status in RUG, especially RUG with lower fat mass. Full article

It is well established that dietary intake can influence performance and modulate recovery in field-based invasion team sports such as soccer and rugby. However, very limited research currently exists examining dietary intake of Gaelic football players. This research aimed to examine the dietary intake of Gaelic football players 2 days prior to competition, on game day, and for 2 days post-competition. A five-day paper-based food diary was completed by 45 players (25 elite and 20 sub-elite). Preliminary inspection of diaries eliminated 11 participants, and analysis of Goldberg cut-offs identified 1 player as an under-reporter, leaving 33 players in the final analysis. Playing level had no effect on energy, carbohydrate, or fat intake. Average intake of energy was 2938 ± 618 kcal.day⁻¹, carbohydrate was 3.7 ± 1.42 g.kgbm⁻¹.day⁻¹, and fat was 1.34 ± 0.61 g.kgbm⁻¹.day⁻¹. However, elite players consumed 24.1% more protein than sub-elite players (2.2 ± 0.67 vs. 1.8 ± 0.62 g.kgbm⁻¹.day⁻¹). Regardless of playing level, players consumed inadequate amounts of carbohydrate to support optimal performance and recovery and consumed protein and fat in line with general sport nutrition guidelines. Given the unique demands placed on Gaelic football players, it may be necessary to develop nutrition guidelines specific to Gaelic football. Additionally, the design and implementation of Gaelic football-specific education-based interventions may be necessary to address the highlighted nutritional inadequacies. Full article

Concussion, a peculiar type of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is an injury frequently encountered in various contact and noncontact sports, such as boxing, martial arts, American football, rugby, soccer, ice hockey, horse riding, and alpine skiing. Concussion occurs anytime external forces of specific intensities provoke acceleration–deceleration of the brain, and it is characterized by the rapid onset of short-lived impairment of neurologic functions, spontaneously resolving within weeks, persisting for longer times only in a small percentage of cases. A wide range of molecular alterations, including mitochondrial dysfunction, energy deficit, and gene and protein expression changes, is triggered by concussion and lasts longer than clinical symptoms. In recent years, concussion has become a primary issue of discussion among sports medicine professionals, athletes, media, and sports sponsors in relation to athletes’ return to play, after a concussion. Continued improvement in prevention and management of concussed athletes requires extensive research from different disciplines. Research work needs to focus on both prevention and management. Researchers and clinicians’ efforts should be dedicated to a better understanding of the molecular changes occurring in the post-concussed brain and to clearly define healing after concussion for a safe return of athletes to play. It is essential for sports medicine professionals to stay informed about the advances in understanding concussions and how to rehabilitate each single player who sustained a concussion. Full article

Background: Touch (rugby/football) is a minimal contact sport for which the type and incidence of injuries remains unknown in Europe. Objectives: To establish the incidence, severity and nature of injuries sustained during a four-day European Touch Championship competition. Methods: A prospective cohort design was adopted to record match-related injuries during the European Touch Championships 2016. Injuries were collected from five countries and classified using the Orchard Sports Injury Classification (OSICS-10). Data were combined from all participating countries and injury incidence was recorded as number of injuries/1000 player hours. Results: A total of 135 injuries were recorded during the tournament with injury incidence calculated as 103.5 injuries per 1000 player match hours. Injuries were mainly recorded as transient (76%) occurring most frequently in the lower limb (69%). Injuries occurred more frequently on successive days, with exception to the final day of the tournament. The number of injuries was not different between the first and second half of matches and there was no relationship between the day of the tournament and the half of the match that injury occurred. Conclusion: Match injury incidence was 103.5 injuries per 100 player match hours. The most injured site was that of the lower limb, with the most common injury type reported as muscle/tendon injury. It is postulated that fatigue plays a role in injury incidence during a multiday tournament. Full article

Using a cross-sectional survey concussion knowledge was evaluated among forty university-level athletes (n = 20, rugby union players; n = 20, Gaelic football players) and eight experienced team coaches (n = 2, rugby union; n = 2, Gaelic football; n = 1, soccer; n = 1, hockey; n = 1, netball; n = 1, basketball). Levels of knowledge of concussion were high across all participants. Coaches had higher knowledge scores for almost all areas; however, there was evidence of important gaps even in this group. Knowledge was not sufficient in identifying concussion, and when it is safe to return to play following a concussion. Impaired knowledge of how to recognise a concussion, and misunderstanding the need for rest and rehabilitation before return to play presents a hazard to health from second impact and more catastrophic brain injury. We discuss reasons for these guideline misconceptions, and suggest that attitude issues on the significance of concussion may underlie a willingness to want to play with a concussion. This suggests the current education on sport-related concussion needs to be expanded for the appropriate management of university-level contact sports. Full article